US 6,650,431 B1 · Processing documents with multiple output devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for routing an electronic document to an output device is disclosed. The electronic document comprises first and second sets of pages, in which the first set of pages has a first characteristic and the second set has a second characteristic. Using a parser or based on information embedded in the electronic document, the first and second sets of pages are identified. First and second output devices, that are respectively compatible with the first and second sets of pages, are selected. The pages are automatically routed to the respective output devices. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic document has both monochrome and black-and-white pages and color pages. The process identifies pages within the document that are monochrome or color. Automatically, the monochrome pages are routed to a black-and-white printer and the color pages are routed to a color printer. Optionally, identifying information is routed to the printer to identify each set of pages when they are printed and facilitate re-assembly of the pages into a document.

Claims51

Dependent claims

A method for output processing of an electronic document that comprises a first set of pages and a second set of pages, in which the first set of pages has a first characteristic and the second set of pages has a second characteristic, the method comprising:

identifying the first set of pages and the second set of pages within the electronic document based on the contents of the document;
selecting a first output device that is compatible with the first characteristic;
selecting a second output device that is compatible with the second characteristic based on such identification;
routing the first set of pages to the first output device and the second set of pages to the second output device;
and
generating page-ordering information that identifies both a particular ordering of pages from the first set of pages and the second set of pages, and how to order the pages after the pages are output by the first and second output devices;
wherein generating page-ordering information comprises:
generating an identifier page, separate from the first set of pages and the second set of pages, that includes the page-ordering information:
and
routing the identifier page to the first output device and to the second output device;
wherein routing the identifier page to the second output device comprises interleaving a first identifier page within the second set of pages at a first position in the second set of pages at which one or more pages from the first set of pages are to be placed when ordered.

8 more elements

A method for automatically printing a document that comprises one or more monochrome pages and one or more color pages, the method comprising:

identifying the color pages within the document based on one or more color commands of a PDL that identify the color pages, and routing the color pages to a color printer based on such identification;
identifying the monochrome pages within the document, and routing the monochrome pages to a monochrome printer based on such identification;
generating one or more identifier pages, separate from the color pages and the monochrome pages, that identify both the color pages and a position of the color pages within the document;
and
routing the one or more identifier pages to the color printer and to the monochrome printer;
wherein routing the one or more identifier pages to the color printer and to the monochrome printer comprises interleaving at least one of the one or more identifier pages within the monochrome pages at a position in the monochrome pages at which one or more color pages identified by the at least one identifier page are to be placed when ordered.

3 more elements

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for printing an electronic document that comprises a first set of pages and a second set of pages, in which the first set of pages has a first characteristic and the second set of pages has a second characteristic, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

identifying the first set of pages and the second set of pages within the electronic document based on the contents of the document;
selecting a first output device that is compatible with the first characteristic based on such identification;
selecting a second output device that is compatible with the second characteristic based on such identification;
routing the first set of pages to the first output device and the second set of pages to the second output device;
and
generating page-ordering information that identifies both a particular ordering of pages from the first set of pages and the second set of pages, and how to order the pages after the pages are output by the first and second output devices;
wherein generating page-ordering information comprises:
generating an identifier page, separate from the first set of pages and the second set of pages, that includes the page-ordering information;
and
routing the identifier page to the first output device and to the second output device;
wherein routing the identifier page to the second output device comprises interleaving a first identifier page within the second set of pages at a first position in the second set of pages at which one or more pages from the first set of pages are to be placed when ordered.

8 more elements

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for automatically printing a document that comprises one or more monochrome pages and one or more color pages, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

identifying the color pages within the document based on one or more color commands of a PDL that identify the color pages, and routing the color pages to a color printer based on such identification;
identifying the monochrome pages within the document, and routing the monochrome pages to a monochrome printer based on such identification;
generating one or more identifier pages, separate from the color pages and the monochrome pages, that identify both the color pages and a position of the color pages within the document;
and
routing the one or more identifier pages to the color printer and to the monochrome printer;
wherein routing the one or more identifier pages to the color printer and to the monochrome printer comprises interleaving at least one of the one or more identifier pages within the monochrome pages at a position in the monochrome pages at which one or more color pages identified by the at least one identifier page are to be placed when ordered.

3 more elements

A computer apparatus for printing an electronic document, comprising:

one or more processors;
a memory coupled to the one or more processors, in which the electronic document is stored in the memory and comprises a first set of pages and a second set of pages, in which the first set of pages has a first characteristic and the second set of pages has a second characteristic;
and
one or more sequences of instructions stored in the memory, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:
identifying the first set of pages and the second set of pages within the electronic document based on the contents of the document;
selecting a first output device that is compatible with the first characteristic;
selecting a second output device that is compatible with the second characteristic;
routing the first set of pages to the first output device and the second set of pages to the second output device;
and
generating page-ordering information that identifies both a particular ordering of pages from the first set of pages and the second set of pages, and how to order the pages after the pages are output by the first and second output devices;
wherein generating page-ordering information comprises:
generating an identifier page, separate from the first set of pages and the second set of pages, that includes the page-ordering information;
and
routing the identifier page to the first output device and to the second output device;
wherein routing the identifier page to the second output device comprises interleaving a first identifier page within the second set of pages at a first position in the second set of pages at which one or more pages from the first set of pages are to be placed when ordered.

12 more elements

A computer apparatus for automatically printing a document that comprises one or more monochrome pages and one or more color pages, the computer apparatus comprising:

identifying the color pages within the document based on one or more color commands of a PDL that identify the color pages, and routing the color pages to a color printer based on such identification;
identifying the monochrome pages within the document, and routing the monochrome pages to a monochrome printer based on such identification;
generating one or more identifier pages, separate from the color pages and the monochrome pages, that identify both the color pages and a position of the color pages within the document;
and
routing the one or more identifier pages to the color printer and to the monochrome printer;
wherein routing the one or more identifier pages to the color printer and to the monochrome printer comprises interleaving at least one of the one or more identifier pages within the monochrome pages at a position in the monochrome pages at which one or more color pages identified by the at least one identifier page are to be placed when ordered.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Processing documents with multiple output devices

Life of this patent

Processing documents with multiple output devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51